Ten Precepts

LEADER: From this day forward

GROUP: I will do my best to observe Ten Precepts.

1. I will not harm life.
2. I will not steal.
3. I will not commit adultery.
4. I will not tell a lie.
5. I will not exaggerate.
6. I will not speak abusively.
7. I will not equivocate.
8. I will not be greedy.
9. I will not be hateful.
10. I will not lose sight of the Truth.

Prelude

GROUP:
difficult to encounter, even in one billion kalpas.* Now we are about to see, listen to, and hold the sutra containing the Truth. May we understand the true meaning of the Buddha’s message.

LEADER: Hannya Shin Gyo, the Heart Sutra is

GROUP:
the essence of Buddhism and Esoteric Buddhism in particular. If I uphold, recite and expound this sutra and offer it to others, I can be freed from suffering and can attain Buddhahood. If I practice the teaching given herein and contemplate its meaning, I can find the Path to Awakening. This sutra is the lamp of the world that sheds light upon darkness. It is the raft that carries all sentient beings safely across the sea of birth and death. May I enter deeply into the meaning of the sutra and recite it earnestly.

Footnote: *Kalpa – A fabulous unit of time. For example, the time required for a celestial woman to wear away a ten cubic mile stone if she touched it with her garments once every hundred years.

The Heart Sutra of Perfect Wisdom

When the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara was practicing prajna-paramita (a profound form of contemplation), he clearly saw that the Five Skandha* are Sunya* and thereby became free from all suffering.

O Sariputra,* form is sunyata, sunyata is form; form is none other than sunyata, sunyata is none other than form. The same can be said of sensation, conception, predisposition and consciousness.

O Sariputra, all dharmas * are characterized by dependence upon causation; they are neither born nor do they perish; they are neither tainted nor immaculate; they neither increase nor decrease.

Therefore, in sunyata there is no form, no sensation, no conception, no predisposition, no consciousness; no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body or mind; no form, sound, odor, taste, tangibleness or objects of thought; no realm of the eyes,… no realm of consciousness.* There is no ignorance, no extinction of old age and death. There is no suffering, no origination of suffering, no extinction, no path. There is no wisdom and no attainment because there is no object to be attained.

The Bodhisattva, because of his reliance on Perfect Wisdom, has no obstacle in mind; because he has no obstacle, he has no fear. Being free from all delusions he reaches ultimate Nirvana. All the Buddhas of the past, present, and future, relying on Perfect Wisdom, attain perfect Awakening. One should, therefore, know that the prajna-paramita is the great mantra, the mantra of great wisdom, the highest mantra, the incomparable mantra, which is capable of relieving all suffering; it is true and not false.

Light Mantra

LEADER: The Light mantra contains,

GROUP:

In its syllables, the entire power of the omnipresent Mahavairocana Buddha. When we recite the mantra earnestly; the Light of the Buddha will embrace us. Illusions will disappear spontaneously, as the moon becomes free from mist.

Prayer

LEADER: We reverently pray

GROUP:
for eternal harmony in the universe. May we attain Buddhahood in this very life in this esoteric realm of Mahavairocana. May the weather be seasonable, may the harvest be fruitful, may countries exist in harmony, and may all people enjoy happiness. May we share these benefitsequally.

The Lotus Sutra Chapter XXV

The Gateway to Every Direction

(Gatha)

Thereupon, the Bodhisattva Aksayamati asked a question in verse, saying:
“O Bhagavat, endowed with excellent marks! I now wish to ask you about him once again: For what reason is the heir of the Buddha Named Avalokitesvara?”

The Bhagavat, endowed with excellent marks, answered Aksayamati in verse:
“Listen to the practices of Avalokitesvara, which have their application to all! His vow is deep like the ocean and his kalpa is of inconceivable length. After having attended many thousands of kotis of Buddhas, he made a great, pure vow. I will now explain it to you in brief:

If you hear his name and see his body, and contemplate him in thought, your life will not be in vain; and you will extinguish all sufferings.

If anyone wants to hurt you and pushes you into a great fire-pit, if you contemplate the power of Avalokitesvara, the fire-pit will change into a pond.

If you drift upon the great ocean and meet danger from dragons, fish and demons, if you contemplate the power of Avalokitesvara, you will not be swallowed by the waves.

If you are on the peak of Sumeru and are pushed by somebody, if you contemplate the power of Avalokitesvara, you will stay suspended in the air like the sun.

If any evil one chases you and pushes you from Mount Diamond, if you contemplate the power of Avalokitesvara, not even a single hair will be hurt.

If evil robbers sorround you each with a sword and the intent to harm, if you contemplate the power of Avalokitesvara, the tought of mercy will awaken in them.

If you suffer under the punishment of a king and you life is to be ended by execution, if you contemplate the power of Avalokitesvara, the sword will be immediately broken into pieces.

If you are imprisoned with a neck chain, your hands and feet fettered, if you contemplate the power of Avalokitesvara, they will disappear and you will be released.

If anyone wants to hurt your body with a curse or poison, if you contemplate the power of Avalokitesvara, these ills will return and afflict their authors.

If you meet evil raksasas, poisonous dragons or demons, if you contemplate the power of Avalokitesvara, they will not dare to hurt you.

If you are surrounded by evil beasts whose teeth and claws are fearfully sharp, if you contemplate the power of Avalokitesvara, they will run away swiftly and to an immeasurable distance.

If there are lizards, snakes, vipers or scorpions, whose breath is poisonous like a flaming smoke, if you contemplate the power of Avalokitesvara, they will turn away swiftly at the sound of your voice.

If thunder resounds, lightning flashes, hail falls and great rain pours out of the clouds, if you contemplate the power of Avalokitesvara, it will disappear immediately.

If santient beings are in great adversity, and immeasurable pain afflicts them, the wonderful power of the wisdom of Avalokitesvara can relieve the sufferings of the world.

Endowed with transcendent powers and having fully mastered wisdom and skillful means, in all the worlds in the ten directions, there is no place where he will not manifest himself.

The sufferings of those in the troubled states of being: Hell-dwellers, ever-hungry spirits, and beasts; and the sufferings of birth, old age, illness and death will gradually be extinguished.

He who perceives the world with truth, purity, and vast knowledge, and with benevolence and compassion, should be ever longed for and looked up to.

He is a spotless, pure ray of light, a sun of wisdom which destroys the darkness, a flame which withstands the wind of calamities.

He brilliantly illuminates the entire world. His will, the essence of which is compassion, shakes like thunder; and the mind of mercy is like a beautiful overspreading cloud, which pours the Dharma-rain of immortality and extinguishes the flame of desires.

In a dispute before judges, or fearful in the midst of battle, if you contemplate the power of Avalokitesvara, all enemies will flee away.

He has a wondrous voice, the voice of one who perceives the world, a voice like Brahma, a voice like the rolling tide, a voice unsurpassed in this world; for this reason you should always contemplate him.

You should have no doubt, even for a moment, the pure seer Avalokitesvara will be a refuge when suffering distress or the misery of death.

He is endowed with every quality, sees the sentient beings with his benevolent eyes, and his ocean of merit is immeasurable; for this reason you should pay him homage.”

At that time the Bodhisattva Dharanimdhara arose from his seat, went before the Buddha and said to him:

“O Bhagavati! If there are any sentient beings who hear of this chapter The Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, and these effortless deeds, the manifestation of the gateway to all directions, and the transcendent powers, know that their merit will not be little!”

When the Buddha taught the chapter, “The Gateway to Every Direction,” the thought of the highest and incomparable complete enlightenment awoke in eighty-four thousand sentient beings in the assembly.

Golden Chain

I am a link in Lord Buddhas golden chain of love that streches around the world. I must keep my link bright and strong. I will try to be kind and gentle to every living thing, and protect all who are weaker than myself. I will try to think pure and beautiful thoughts, to say pure and beautiful words, and to do pure and beautiful deeds, knowing that on what I do now depends my happiness and misery.

May every link in Lord Buddhas golden chain of love become bright and strong and may we all attain perfect peace.

Aspiration

I

O, Thou who holdest the Seal of the Power Spiritual, raise Thy Diamond Hand, and bring to naught all evil. O, Thou who purifies, purify all who are in bondage of the life corporeal. O, Thou who are Perfectly Enlightened, enlighten all men and end all suffering. O, Thou who are Perfect in Wisdom and Compassion, redeem all men and bring them to the realm Divine. Adoration to the Buddha of Perfect Wisdom and Compassion, Thou who hast accomplished, is accomplishing, and will accomplish all these Words, True and Mystical.

II

We are the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thoughts, sorrow follows him even as the wheel follows the foot of the drawer. The scent of flowers does not travel against the wind, but the fragrance of good people travels even against the wind. As a mother, at the risk of her life, watches over her only child, so let every one cultivate a boundless love towards all beings.

III

We surround all men and all forms of life with infinite love and compassion. Particulary do we send our loving thoughts to those in suffering and sorrow, and to all those in doubt and ignorance, to all who are groping for the Truth, and those whose feet are standing close beside the gate of death, we send forth oceans of Wisdom, Mercy and Love.

IV

Reverently we come before the holy place of our Lord Buddha, the Holy One, and the Perfect One. With the deepest gratitude we have brought our offerings of universal wishes and devotion to honour Him. We earnestly resolve to strive to know and understand His Universal Dharma, and to walk everyday in His Holy Path, so that like Himself, we may attain the Perfect Peace of Nirvana.

V

Be to yourselves your own Light. Be to yourselves your own refuge. Thou shalt not go looking about for any other light or refuge, whoever follows, when I am gone, shall be to themselves their own light, their own refuge – whoever shall take the Truth I have taught as their light and their refuge – that they now and always will be my true disciples, will be walking in the Universal path. They will see and know the Supreme Bliss.

VI

In my love, in my spiritual power, and in the Holy Name Henjo Kongo, I shall save all beings accompanied by Miroku Bodhisattva. Being come from the Universal power of Maha Vairocana, the Illuminated One, and return to Him with a pure, wealthy, universal, and charitable heart. They shall know Him and see happiness and peace in their land.

VII

The Holy Saviour addressed us, on His last day, At first, I thought I should live till I was a hundred years old to save all the people in the bank of suffering, but now that you are all grown up and accomplishing my holy mission, there is no need for my life to be prolonged, and I shall not grieve, agonize and disappoint. I will leave for the eternal Samadhi on the 21st day of next March. For I will still live and save all the people accompanied by the Holy maitreya Bodhisattva as long as you cease your suffering on the earth.

VIII

He who dwells in Dharma, delights in the Dharma, meditates on the Dharma, recollects the Dharma; that man will never fall away from the true Dharma.

IX

He who longs for life, knows that immortality is hidden in transciency. He who wishes for happiness, without the sting of regrets, receives treasures that are eternal. Truth is wealth, and a life of truth is happiness. The Dharma knows neither birth nor death; it has no beginning and no end. It is the immortal source of mind.

Vegetarian Resources

Zen-shu

Tao Te Ching

The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth.
The named is the mother of ten thousand things.
Ever desireless, one can see the mystery.
Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations.
These two spring from the same source but differ in name;
this appears as darkness.
Darkness within darkness.
The gate to all mystery.